Hopelessness
by captain lyd
Summary: You’re not alone...I’ll be by your side.A twoshot song fic. Maddie and Esteban. I don't own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hopelessness:**_

_Unable to improve_

_Or be helped_

_Or be cured…_

…Feeling no hope

Nothing was the same since Mr. Moseby died. Ilsa worked everyone to the bone, and everyone was afraid they were going to lose their jobs.

Esteban was exhausted and relived that Jeremiah had come early to take over his shift. Esteban was about to enter the staff lounge for some much needed rest when, all of a sudden; he heard a strange noise that made him freeze in his tracks. Quietly, he took his hand off of the doorknob, and pressed his ear against the door.

Sobbing… quiet- yet distraught- sobbing. It tore at his heartstrings. Ever so quietly, he opened the door a crack and looked to see inside. The sight made his heart wretch. His best friend was sitting on the couch in the dark lounge, nose red, face blotchy, and eyes swollen with tears.

For a minute he just stood in the doorway, staring at her. She never cried. He knew that she had been through just about everything, but she never cried. She was always able to hold back the tears, and hold on to her happiness.

Just then she turned and saw him silhouetted against the light that seeped into the dark room from behind him. She hiccupped slightly in surprise, then buried her face into her hands and burst into another storm of tears.

Esteban crossed the room and sat cautiously down on the edge of the couch. His voice came out husky and unsure as he asked her what was wrong.

A flood of tears was all that answered him. Esteban watched her. She was sitting all alone, sobbing into one hand, with her other arm wrapped around her waist. Her entire frame was shaking with the torrent of tears and the sobs she was trying to suppress. She looked so alone.

Esteban felt the corners of his own eyes burn and his throat felt raw. Slowly he edged closer to her, and put his arm around her shoulders.

_You're not alone_

_Together we stand_

_I'll be by your side _

You know I'll take you hand 

Willing his voice not to break he asked her again what was wrong. He felt her tremble and lean closer to him. He could barely understand what she said through the many breaks and outburst of tears, but in the end he got it.

She had just lost her job.

And her parents were getting divorced.

_When it gets cold_

_And it feels like the end_

_There's no place to go_

_You know I won't give in_

Esteban wrapped both arms around her and let her bury her face into his shoulder.

_No I won't give in._

She cried as she explained all that had happened to her and her siblings in the last few months. She showed him the marks. She hated her parents. No she loved her parents. That's why divorce hurt more than the marks did.

_Keep holding on_

_Cause you know we'll make it through_

_We'll make it through_

_Just stay strong _

_Cause you know I'm here for you_

_I'm here for you_

Why didn't they love her? Why did they hurt her? What did she do wrong?

Nothing. Tears coursed down Esteban's cheeks as he hugged her tightly. You did nothing wrong.

She didn't know what to do. She had just lost her job. Even though Ilsa had made things miserable, she needed the Tipton. She didn't know what she would do without her friends. Why did she mess everything up? She couldn't even keep her job. Why did she lose everything important to her? How come nothing good ever happened to her?

Esteban brushed away his own tears and looked down into her eyes. It wasn't her fault.

_There's nothing you can say_

_Nothing you can do_

_There's no other way when it comes to the truth_

_So, keep holding on_

_Cause you know we'll make it through…_

"Candy girl!' Ilsa barked. Esteban let go of Maddie, and turned to the now wide open door. Ilsa was standing next to Gretel who was holding a box full of Maddie's things. Gretel was now the new candy counter 'girl'. "Why are you still here?' Ilsa asked coldly. 'This lounge is only for the use of the hotel employees."

Gretel lumbered over and dumped the box of Maddie's things between Maddie and Esteban, glaring at the two of them.

Maddie jumped off the couch, yanked up her box of belongings, and glared, wild-eyed at Ilsa. Before she could storm out of the room, however, Esteban stood and grabbed her arm.

She turned back and the look of anger melted off of her face as she looked up into his sad, gentle eyes. Slowly, with tears in her eyes, she leaned up onto her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the cheek. She let go and giving him one last sad look, turned for the door.

But Esteban didn't let go of Maddie's arm. Ignoring Gretel's angry snarl, and knowing it might cost him his job, he pulled Maddie back to him, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her firmly on the mouth.

Her wet eyelashes brushed his cheek as he finally let go. She looked up into his face once more before leaving.

Maybe some good things did happen to her.

_…we'll make it through_

**Next half should be up soon. This song is "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne. Thanks for reading, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, there! Thanks for the reviews! I was reading 'Unfixable' by Alone in the Solitude of Texas, and I thought, 'You know, I have a ton of one-shot/ songfics I've been planning, and I'm not gonna wait to write them anymore!!! Lol, so thanks for the inspiration Texas!:)**

**I hope you all like the last half!**

_**Do you feel like a man**_

_**When you push her around?**_

_**Do you feel better now**_

_**As she falls to the ground?**_

"_**Face Down"**_

_**by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus**_

"Get back here! Get back here you filthy little-"

Maddie slammed the door shut and threw the locked over before he could finish the rest. Her face was still stinging from the slap, and bruises were already forming on her arm where he had grabbed her. She could still smell the alcohol that he reeked with. She buried her face into the pillow and sobbed as she tried to block out the sounds of him ramming on the door.

Her eye was throbbing where he had hit her, and her lip had spilt when it hit against her teeth with the slap.

Her backbone started to throb from where he had kicked her when she lost her footing trying to get away.

He wasn't too happy that she lost her job.

Her step dad had married her mom when she was only two years old. She never knew another father. He was a great dad, and Maddie loved him. But that was before the fighting… the drinking… before her mom filed for a divorce.

The door shook under his blows. Maddie lay curled on her bed, sobbing. She was absolutely terrified. Her brother and grandma were shopping. Mom had left two days ago, and didn't come back.

Maddie knew she should call 911. She needed help. He was going to get in. Maddie sobbed harder. She couldn't call the police. They would split her family up. Her granny would go to a nursing home, and her brother… it seemed like nobody ever wanted two foster children.

She needed some one. Her dad was beating harder on the door. Panicked sobs filled her as she pushed herself as far away from the door as possible. She needed some one. She wasn't going to make it. She just wished she could tell her brother and granny that she loved them. She wished she could thank Carey for everything. She wished she could give Zack and Cody one last hug, and she wished she could tell London how great of a friend she really was. And Esteban… she just wished she could talk to Esteban one last time.

_So far away_

_I wish you were here_

_Before it's too late_

_This could all disappear_

Just then a faint ringing sound came from the foot of her bed. Trembling, Maddie sat up and looked at her cell phone. She closed her eyes. _Thank you._

Slowly, she opened it. "Esteban,' she said softly, but was quickly interrupted.

"Maddie, are you okay? Look, I'm gonna try to find you another job, you know one that would pay you enough so you could rent-"

Maddie took a deep, trembling breath as the door bended precariously. She had to tell him. "Esteban." She said a little more firmly.

Esteban stopped dead.

"Maddie is something wrong?" He asked with such concern in his voice, that her tears started to fall all over again, her control over them gone, but her calm still there.

"Maddie what's wrong?" He asked again, obviously listening intently.

"Esteban,' she whispered through her tears. 'I'm not going to see you again, and I just want you to-"

"Maddie, wait, what's going on? What are talking about? Where are you? What's that noise?"

"I-" Maddie plowed on, forcing herself to talk through her tears, as the door thumped in its frame. "I'm- I'm going to die."

She expected to feel panic at these words. But she didn't. In fact the sense of peace she had gotten by acknowledging this fact was so consuming now, that she stopped crying.

"Maddie-"

"I love you." She whispered, and closed her phone. It was to late to call 911. They would never get there in time.

The hinges of the door were rattling furiously, and Maddie prayed. She prayed for her family, she thanked God for her friends, and she prayed that he would have mercy on her dad's soul, and claim him. She had had a great life and filled with blessings. She asked for forgiveness for not always seeing that. And she prayed that he would help her… that her passing would be easy… She smiled sadly. And that he'd tell Mr. Moseby she was coming for her check.

_Before the doors close _

_And it comes to an end _

_With you by my side_

_I will fight and defend_

_I'll fight and defend_

"Maddie?! Maddie!" Esteban yelled into his cell phone before throwing it onto the seat next to him, and yanking the wheel of his car right, headed back in the opposite direction.

"Please God, please, please, please, no. Please-" He prayed frantically, as the speedometer quickly climbed eighty-five. At her home… she had to be at home. His brain felt numb, and yet his thoughts were going a million miles a minute. This couldn't be happening. He had to get there. He had to stop this.

_Keep holding on_

_Cause you know we'll make it through_

_We'll make it through_

_Just stay strong_

_Cause you know I'm here for you_

_I'm here for you_

He flew past houses, and almost fainted with relief when he spotted Fenway park out of his right window.

Yanking his steering wheel to the left, he flew up over the curb out side of the apartment complex. Slamming on the brakes, he threw the gear into park, jumped out of the car, and ran up the steps.

He tried to open the door, but it buzzed loudly in protest. Barely even thinking, Esteban bent down and, picking up a flowerpot, threw it at the window. The glass shattered, Esteban quickly jumped through, and mounted the steps running. _She said she could see Fenway park through her window._

_There's nothing you could say_

_Nothing you could do_

_There's no other way when it comes to the truth_

_So, keep holding on_

_Cause you know we'll make it through_

_We'll make it through_

Maddie held her breath as the lock broke on her door. She closed her eyes. He would twist the handle… and it would soon be over.

She heard loud bang, more shouting, and then another bang on the wall next to the door.

_Hear me when I say _

_When I say I believe_

A man turned around in surprise as Esteban ran into the room. He bellowed something and chucked beer bottled at his head. Esteban dodged, ran forward, and, grabbing the man by the throat, rammed him into the wall. "What the hell did you do to her?" Esteban yelled into the face of the man, who was cursing, and choking at the same time as he tried to loosen Esteban's grip on his throat.

"Where is she?" He yelled again. The man swore, his face turning purple, and pointed at the door he was beating on.

Esteban grabbed a lamp from off of a corner table and struck the drunk on the head, making him pass out. Esteban released his hold on his neck and let him collapse on the floor.

_Nothing's gonna change_

_Nothing's gonna change destiny_

Maddie covered her head with her arms. The beating had just stopped. He knew the lock was broken. She heard the doorknob turn. He was coming to kill her. _Please take me quickly._

The door swung open. Maddie stiffened.

A young woman prayed that her life would soon end.

A young man, prayed that he wasn't too late.

"Maddie?"

Maddie felt strong arms lift her gently.

"Maddie!" the voice said again.

Slowly she opened her eyes. To her immense surprise she was still in her bedroom. And she was looking up into a pair of familiar brown eyes. She could hardly dare to believe it.

"Am, am I still alive?' Maddie asked weakly. 'Or did you have a run in with Ilsa?"

Relief flooded through him. Esteban let out a shaky laugh, as he pulled her closer to him. "You're still alive.' His eyes filled with tears as he choked out, ' you're all right. You're gonna be fine."

Maddie smiled faintly, and slipped into the inky blackness of sleep. She was safe.

_Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

'_For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.' Jeremiah 29:11_

**Thanks so much for reading my story, I hope you like it. The song in the story again, is 'Keep Holding On'. Thanks!**


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